O’Brien edging towards Irish option

Donnacha O’Brien has revealed Fancy Blue is likely to head down the Irish route and a shot at the 1,000 Guineas.

Two-time champion jockey O’Brien enjoyed huge success during his racing days, landing multiple Classic victories in a glittering CV, but this season is his first holding a trainer’s licence.

It will be a different challenge for the 21-year-old, who announced his retirement from racing in November 2019, but he already looks to have an interesting contender on his hands in Fancy Blue.

Unbeaten as a two-year-old, it has been suggested the filly could be tested in Newmarket‘s Classic but, while plans are yet to be nailed down, O’Brien is leaning towards a trip to the Curragh instead.

He said, as quoted by the Racing Post: “We will start her off at Newmarket or the Curragh but, with the way the programme is, I think the Curragh could be a better option.

“We need to have a bit of a think but I’d probably be leaning towards the Irish Guineas and then the Irish Oaks but that isn’t set in stone, or even nearly set in stone

for that matter.”